Update: The Flu Is Still Getting Worse

I usually don't write about the same topic twice in a row, but the flu seems to be getting worse. Two weeks ago, I wrote about an alarming spike in flu-like illness in the U.S. reported by the CDC, which monitors influenza throughout the country.

The latest CDC report just appeared today, showing flu activity through January 27. Unfortunately, it shows that the upward spike was no fluke.

Patient visits for influenza-like illness throughout the US, as of 27 Jan 2018.US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

"We have not hit our peak yet, unfortunately," CDC spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund said. "Really, the bottom line is, there is still likely many more weeks to go."

It won't help our surveillance efforts if the government shuts down again next week, as will happen if Congress can't agree on a budget–or pass another short-term extension–by February 8. This is no time to be taking our eye off the ball, but continuing uncertainty about the budget makes all our efforts to protect public health much harder.

Finally: if you're sick, stay home. You're not being a hero by going to work, and you might make someone else much sicker.

I'm the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, and Biostatistics at Johns Hopkins University. From 2005-2011 I was the Horvitz Professor of Computer Science and Director of the Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology at th...